Serum Level of Galectin-3 in Patients with Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Introduction: Galectin-3, a member of the family of beta-galactoside-binding animal lectins, has been implicated in tumor invasion and metastasis. Materials and Methods: Using an ELISA kit, we assessed the circulating levels of galectin-3 in sera from 40 oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients and from 43 healthy controls. Results: Serum galectin-3 levels in OSCC patients were significantly higher (5.1 +/- 2.5 ng/ml) when compared with healthy controls (2.6 +/- 3.07 ng/ml, P<0.0005). There was no apparent correlation between serum galectin-3 concentration and clinico-pathological features such as stage, tumor size, nodal status, distant metastasis and histological grade. Conclusion: This result suggests that, in addition to other tests, measurement of serum galectin-3 concentrations can be utilized as an adjuvant test for establishing a diagnosis of OSCC.